Calder & Company

I'm back...

~Well, I know, its about time I re-enter the "blog-world".  I had a horrendous spanish graduate paper final and paper due, and right about the time, mi esposo (my husband) put a virus on my computer (accidently I know)!  So that was enough stress to send me into a mental health facility (kidding or course).  So I got the computer back and it wouldn't talk to my printer.  Ay no!  Then with all the additional duties of Christmas...whew!  I just had to take a break.  Of course I am still "making" things as usual.  Food, rug hooking, sewing, embroidery...y knitting. 

 

 

 

 ~So I am hoping to update and share some projects soon...Saludos y Feliz navidad!

Moment-by-moment

 

 

 

 

 

 

~I know I have been missing from the world for a while, but I have been busy learning espanol, entertaining, absorbing nature, and making of course! (will share soon)

~Some of our moments-by-moments include (de Nana):

Magic tricks, Stick fighting, Karate, soccer, Chicken stuffing, Football watching/playing, "Toading", Pizza eating, Candles and flashlights (powers out AGAIN), Flower and tomatoe picking, and lots of Lemonade making. 

And most of all....watching our world enter Autumn!

It's all about the water...

~there is something magic about being around water, so when our family has had enough of the city, we head for the wide, deep bodies of water.

 ~My husband likes to stop at every river to check it out.  This gives the boys plenty of "explore time" when we are traveling...

~Wading is a favorite past time of our children (all children really).  They are never content with standing at the waters edge... 

~Three summer "Above knee A-line skirts with contrast pockets" that I managed to put together one week...all have zippers and facings...an old kwik sew pattern

a little this, a little that...

~I find that summer seems to speed up once we are over the middle, so we are trying to get out of doors as much as possible.  Leisure bicycle rides, strolls around town, ankle wading, water splashing, carrot picking...those are the top favorites as of late.

 ~purposeful strolls...Can a stroll be purposeful?  Seems contradicting...

 ~ideas for next years garden...some sweet fleurs...

~another pair of trousers I made for sweet little boy of three. I find that he much prefers simple fabrics with identifiable objects.  "I want to wear the french fry pants."  or the lollipop pants, or circle pants...you get the idea.

Working as Pioneers...

~Well seeing that my husband has been on a fly fishing trip north of the Arctic circle for the past 17 days, my time for journaling has disappeared.  We have been busy (as one can imagine) and I will try to write a little every few days.

~Again this year, I am sending out some photos from last week when we worked as pioneers.  It is such a special time with the boys, and I am always amazed at how much the boys learn.  As you know, pioneers wore long sleeve tops EVERY day, so I find it is amazing how we all get acclimated to the heat in our garments. 

~Yes, the boys were "Finished" (capital "F" intended) weeding their row at this point...therefore, they thought to supervise moi.

 ~An authentic recipe that was a little heavy on the salt and baking soda...

 ~The boys had some free time for games and leaf rubbings...

 

Some of our favorite activities:

~made ink from berries and vinegar and used quills to write letters
~cooking on primitive stoves and/or open fires
~weeding the garden and feeding the pigs (the boys LOVED feeding the pigs)
~the boys worked on marching and were responsible for "sending up and retiring the colors (flag)" at the fort
~participating in court cases (one was accused of stealing)
~washing dishes--ha ha!
~playing indian games and lots of chores...
~using a primitive flint for starting fires
~looking through the straw bedding (mattresses) for mice and bugs...
~had a school day with math, geography, reading and a spelling bee.  One of the boys had to be punished, and thus had to hold a small log up on his outstretched arms.

~and on of the all-time favorite activities---hanging with the blacksmith!

 ~Oh, and I had to include this photo that one of boys inquired "are those large bottle caps up there?"  Which is EXACTLY what they look like to a boy from 2011!

May: Set 1.

~I have been busier than a one armed paper hanger!  I honestly layed in bed this morning thinking about my day and wondering what I should tackle first on my morning at home.  We have had four birthdays, three full day field trips, visitors, school plays, select soccer, baseball and mothers day since my last post.   Whew!  It has been overwhelming.  For me, this month is TWICE as busy as December.  So I am going to just share some photos (because truly, that is all I can manage right now!)...

~Our kitchen table...

 ~The boys celebrating my birthday...

 ~So many birds have been coming to the feeders this spring, and we have baby birds under our deck...

 ~Some flowers that I planted at the woodland edge years ago...I love experimenting with new bulbs.  Planting bulbs in the fall is an experiment in delayed gratification---but makes the spring so exciting!

 

Magazines Aplenty...

~I admit, I read a GOB of magazines.  It somehow helps me to keep in touch with many different discliplines.  After having our carpets cleaned recently, I moved all of the mags that had been accumulating under my bed (oy!) into our bathroom.  How, did these books and magazines add up?   So last night at about 11 pm, I went to organizing the bunch.

~I will always subscribe to a multitude of magazines: parenting, gardening, interior design, crafting, travel, medicine, technology, news mags...there are so many good ones.  I wish I had time to spend looking at on-line magazine websites/newsites and the like, but I just have to choose my internet time wisely.  I can easily sit down to return an email, and still be looking at sites an hour later.  Eek.

 

 ~Here I am delving into the organization process.  I feel like all of these magazines shape my views and outlook.  I am a methodical researcher at heart, and seem to apply that to everyday living.  Of course I tear out articles, and have them organized in my office by season and disclipline--yes that is an ongoing--forever process.  Some days organization is in good shape, other days--not so good.  I like to revisit them when I need some inspiration.  I get a lot of good things out of magazines.  Not to mention I am disheartened when magazines discontinue publishing (e.g.  Southern Accents, Gourmet, Cookie...I miss you all).

~Picked this lovely book up a while back and just found it in my "to read" book pile (don't we all have one of those by our bed?).  The artwork by Carl Larsson is comforting, and seems to express a grand feeling of home and family.  It is a treasure.  Woo hoo for days we have to organize. 

~Now I just need to sit time aside to review all of these piles...I can usually be found with a stash of mags in my car, and along for the ride at soccer practice and the like (took the newest WIRED--which is a mag covering trends in technology-- last week, and the cover yielded some strange looks).  Oh my!

Autumn ORANGE...

~We are getting into the time frame that I think of as Autumn drift.  Moving ever so slowly into the colder days of Autumn.  The leaves are off the trees, the bulbs are planted (finally finished TODAY), the crop fields are bare, and even the wild creatures seem nestled.  We are creeping into a time of quiet, cool stillness. 

(Note:  Above is a pumpkin that I constructed when I was age ten or so.  Can you believe it has followed me this far in life?  The boys have used it as a ball, pillow, and tonight it was C.C.'s companion while we snuggled on the sofa.  Perfect.) 

~This is what has been going on at our house on these cooler days of Autumn:

 ~Dough creations with our favorite food...

~Newly painted--motley faces...

~Self serve snacks that always require the use of my favorite Finnish plate of the Moomentrolls--(they must snatch it when I am not looking--they know it is my FAVORITE).   

~And (1) sweet--coiled pumpkin design by N. 

~The weather has been cool for a while now, but this was the first day that I was really feeling chilled.  After having some friends over, and spending a large portion of the day outside--playing games and documenting my garden plots--I was ready to come in for soup and a woolen blanket.  This was definitely a soup and cocoa day.

The Day of Growth.

~Since some of you have been perusing my photos on flickr, I need to keep updating this place with the details.  On another note, I did close my comments temporarily--due to the interest of an unwanted person--with unsettling interests.  I hated to do that, but it was time--so will open again soon. ~

~We took our first family bike tour a few weeks ago.  All the boys moved up a size in bicycles, and N. even learned to ride without his training wheels on a crash course--I knew he could do it--it was time--frankly--past time.  We basically found a long, rarely used bike trail--and let the boys go free.  When you live on country roads, as we do--it can make learning how to ride a bike challenging.  Cars going too fast, no sidewalks...ugg.

~So all we really needed was some time, and wide open trails to strengthen the boys skills.  Yes, there was a lot of getting off, starting over, stopping to look at trees...slow, slow, slowness.  Then there was the flip side, of wanting to go fast, fast, fast.  What a roller coaster, that day was.  I was exhausted!

 

~After all of that hullabaloo, it was time for us to have a "little R & R"--as my dad would say.  

~So we shifted from the forest full of insects, and greenery--to the lakeside of sand and muck.

 

 

~After the day at the lakeside, we then picked up a pizza, and had a little lakeside dining, which really was surreal to me.  No bugs, just waves lapping the shoreline, good conversation, and a perfect sunset.  It was the best ending to our weekend. 

~It was a day that N. conquered his bicycle.  To be truthful, there was some yelling, kicking his bicycle, telling me he hated it that day.  But as he persevered, he got the hang of riding a bigger bicycle, and working without the help of training wheels.  It was a day of growth. Once he had gotten the hang of it, he smiled and sang, and wanted to go and go...

 

~After our lakeside dinner, there is ALWAYS time for rock tossing.

~A little rock tossing after their bellies were filled with food.  Exquisite.  Or "Extraordinary" as my oldest would state--it is his favorite description word of late. 

Towards the end...

 

 

~As much as we hate the bugs, heat, and humidity--we wouldn't ever wish for summer to go. Time always seems to accelerate once September first arrives. Our list of summer loves:

• late afternoon breezes
• watermelon and sweet corn every day!
• caterpillars
• cool grass on hot days
• swimming with the fish
• long bike rides in the woods (all can ride except the babe)
• State Fairs
• leisurely reading for all
• picnics at dusk
• fishing on the lakes of the north-woods
• fireworks.  oh my!
• the winding vines of our pumpkins and gourds (yes we will be gourd drying the winter)

~I am sure this list could go on and on, but I really tried to narrow it down to the things that we value most.  I suppose I am not a normal female of my age loving the nature world so much, but it is a necessary item to reboot my soul.